Luca's Birthday (a.k.a. fun with sand and mud)

Luca's 8th birthday was on Wednesday and he had one heck of a party! There was pokemon trading, playmobil city-making, train driving, cake eating, present opening, watergun fighting, mud-slinging (not as in our current political variety, I'm talkin' the real wet dirt stuff!), sand dam construction, tree climbing, lake wading, skate boarding and foos-balling going on. He was surrounded by his bestest friends, new and old and as well as young and old (refering to myself as the latter).
Lillian and Lucy had a fabulous time in the mud from the hose overflow (at the watergun filling station) and Rob and I had a fabulous time sharing conversation, and later drinks, with the parental units. I guess I shouldn't say that, since Rob had a great time hanging out with almost 2-year old Oscar and I have to say that I had a blast with the 3 year olds, lucy, pippa and Harry, I had very nice conversation with Stella who turns 5 this week and her brother was nice enough to explain to me why you can't take a clear photograph of a computer screen. He also took many very cool photos of the party (including one of his own backside-that's talent, I say!) but, alas, they won't be posted here because of a mishap yesterday with the camera involving aforementioned little sister and Glenlake creek. Anyone got an old digital camera w/video to donate to a really talented 8-year old photographer/filmaker?
By the end of the day we had gone through 2 cakes, a dozen cupcakes, a gallon of ice cream, as well as 15 pairs of pants, and several shirts. When was the last party you were at where there were concurrent baths taking place in the bathtub (for fun and cleansing purposes) while merrymaking was going on elsewhere? Come to think of it, knowing the people who'll be reading this, please don't answer that question!